What Is an Esophageal Motility Study?

Esophageal pressure measurement records the pressure changes of the esophagus at rest and after swallowing. It is used to indicate the motor functions of the upper and lower sphincter and esophageal body, and to understand the movement of the esophagus. Mainly used for the diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders.

Basic Information

1. Assist in the diagnosis of systemic disorders with esophageal dyskinesia, such as scleroderma and dermatomyositis.
2. To evaluate the effect of certain operations, such as esophageal-cardiac achalasia or diffuse esophageal spasm, after esophageal dilatation or lower esophageal sphincterotomy, and reflux esophagitis after fundus fold reduction

1. Precautions before the test Fast for 6 hours before the test to prevent vomiting and aspiration. Forty-eight hours before the test, nitroglycerin, calcium channel antagonists, H2 receptor antagonists, gastrointestinal motility drugs, anti-carnitine, sedatives, analgesics, antidepressants and other drugs were contraindicated. If the condition does not allow the withdrawal of some drugs that affect esophageal motility, the effects of these drugs must be considered when analyzing the test results.
2. Examination methods Usually a continuous water-filled catheter system is used to measure the pressure in the esophagus to estimate the function of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and esophagus. When measuring the pressure, the pressure catheter is first inserted into the stomach, then the catheter is withdrawn at a speed of 0.5 to 1.0 cm / min, and the pressure in the esophagus is measured.

When a normal person is at rest, the LES pressure is about 2 to 4 kPa (15 to 30 mmHg), or the ratio of the LES pressure to the pressure in the gastric cavity is> 1.

When the LES pressure is less than 0.8kPa (6mmHg) or the ratio of the LES pressure to the pressure in the gastric cavity is less than 1, the LES function is impaired, or gastroesophageal reflux is present.